We have a web site with about 50,000 members. For a variety of
reasons, we designed the site so that no one can be blocked.

It has worked well for years, but several persistant vandals have made
us their hobby and due to our liberal philosophy we cannot stop them
from visiting, even though they have been asked to leave.

By vandals, I mean people who make posts harassing other members or
fouling the atmosphere. We are not bothered by hackers.

A programming change is the obvious answer, but are there legal
strategies that we could pursue? Restraining orders, harassment,
trespass, anything?

I am looking for applicable legal doctrines w/ case studies where
possible, and anecdotal suggestions or simply recommended reading.

I tip.

I'm merely commenting without research, as a system administrator, but
since it is possible to block visitors from a website by IP, it seems
that it would be difficult to pursue a legal remedy before other means
were exhausted. In other words, if ones choses to allow openness,
there is no criminal type trespass just because standards set by the
site itself are violated. There may be civil remedies available,
however, this solution would require that a quantifiable loss be
present.

---l

Don't make this more complicated than it is.  Institute a set of rules
that prohibit this type of behavior.  Specify that violations of the
rules may result in being banned.  Send one or two violation messages
to the violators and then ban them.

Daniel2d-ga, I am in complete agreement. However, there is dissent
among the owners as to whether such changes (allowing banning) should
be made. I do not have the power to force the change. Therefore I must
find a plan B.

It is frustrating, but sometimes great challenges stimulate great creativity.

I might point out that the real world IDs of the troublemakers are
known. Full details, phone address, name, etc.

Also, we do have posted conduct rules that contravene this behavior,
but the violators know there is no enforcement and ignore them.

The violators are not merely dissidents, they are in most cases
deranged people of the type we have all encountered at some point or
other on the internet.

Deranged is often in the eyes of the beholder. The average person
considers us goody-goody two shoes deranged when we get upset about
profanity, pornograpy etc. I've seen several message boards fold each
year as they aparently did not wish to spend the money to ban the
worst offenders. I really miss www.abuzz.com  www.askjeves.com 
www.askme.com

neilzero-ga, can you point out one or two such boards that have not
disappeared? I would love to see what you are talking about.